Doctor’s Rebirth - Chapter 319

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 319
“Kekeke, little Baek Rin has grown stronger again. Is it because he came back from the dead? Oh my. I need to focus on what’s in front of me now. As I’ve gotten older, my concentration has become clouded.”
Sulgye withdrew a talisman from his robes and gripped it in his hand. The talisman immediately ignited of its own accord, spewing smoke.
In that moment.
Cheong-yeon Soegooju drew her sword and took a step forward.
Her intention was to restrict Sulgye’s movements through the use of the Cheonma Kunrim Bow, just as before.
Boom!
The air grew heavy.
Meanwhile, the smoke from the talisman Sulgye had burned began to coalesce into a single form.
Ghost Spirit Sect’s forbidden technique—Ghost Spirit Soldier!
The smoke generated by Sulgye’s burning talisman swirled and took on the shape of a human form.
Though it possessed a human-like form, it was difficult to call it human—merely bipedal with a single head.
It appeared to be ten feet tall, with a thin body but elongated limbs.
Two red lights flickered where its head should be.
Two of these ghostly, demonic entities had appeared.
‘So that’s why Sulgye is so strong. If they were corpse demons, I’d at least have some familiarity to work with, but ghost spirits…’
For a warrior, a ghost spirit was an existence one might encounter once in a lifetime, if at all.
In martial arts tales, corpse demons, talismans, and formation techniques appeared frequently, yet such sorcery held relatively low prominence.
For Sulgye, however, sword cultivators were what he encountered every time he opened his eyes.
The enemies he had fought most throughout his life were surely sword cultivators.
Crash!
As the ghost spirit soldier was just taking its final form, Cheong-yeon Soegooju launched herself forward like an arrow.
Her blade, which had somehow become shrouded in sword energy, scattered an ominous light.
Her sword slashed horizontally, attempting to sever the waist of the ghost spirit soldier.
Screeeech.
However.
Strangely, while her sword cleanly bisected the first ghost spirit soldier’s waist, it failed to sever the second one’s.
Like grass or adhesive, the second ghost spirit soldier’s body, composed of mist, clung to her blade and wrapped around it.
“It seems you lack experience in the martial world, being so young. Tsk tsk. Then you must die. Ignorance is not a sin, is it not?”
The moment Sulgye’s voice reached her ears, Cheong-yeon Soegooju’s eyes narrowed to slits.
“How dare a mere sorcerer mock me?”
“I’ve sent more than one or two to the underworld for speaking like that before me.”
“Hmph! Today shall be your memorial day, old fool!”
Whoooosh!
Cheonma Divine Art—Cheonma Blood Slaughter Energy.
A blood-red aura began to rise from her entire body like flames.
A type of protective energy technique. Normally, protective energy surrounds the body to block enemy attacks while simultaneously striking those who touch it with that energy, but this Cheonma Blood Slaughter Energy was far superior.
The energy moved directly toward nearby enemies, tearing the opponent to shreds!
Boom!
The Cheonma Blood Slaughter Energy poured forth toward the ghost spirit soldier, tearing apart its massive form.
In that state, she charged forward once more.
With the Cheonma Blood Slaughter Qi that shattered everything in its path, it seemed difficult to stop her with mere ghost soldier corpses.
“Qimen Dunjia—Shadow Technique.”
Yet her charging body suddenly halted in mid-air, then descended to the ground.
“What is this…?”
“Do you know that if you bind a shadow, the person cannot move? Because shadow and body are one.”
At those words, Cheong-yeon Soegooju turned to look behind her.
Something pitch-black was piercing her shadow. Yet she wasn’t completely immobilized.
Her lower body couldn’t move, but her upper body could.
Shing!
She swiftly swung her blade, drawing out a sword aura.
It was to destroy whatever had pierced her shadow.
In that instant, she had to be startled again.
The mist of the ghost soldier corpses, which she thought had vanished, gathered and engulfed her.
Of course, they were disappearing as they collided with her blood slaughter qi, but for a moment her vision was stolen.
Crack.
And the impact that followed.
Taking advantage of her disoriented senses, something heavy struck her solar plexus with dull force.
“Krraaagh!”
A creaking sound rang out. Feeling some of her ribs fracture, her body was sent flying backward.
Even as she flew back, her eyes widened as she looked.
The weapon that had pierced through the Cheonma Blood Slaughter Qi wrapped around her body.
It was the staff that Sulgye wielded.
Thud. Shing!
Flipping her body in mid-air, Cheong-yeon Soegooju landed on the ground. Yet the impact from moments before sent her body sliding backward.
Silence.
All around was quiet.
Everyone had been focused on the brief clash that just occurred.
“Tsk tsk. Didn’t they teach you to be most wary of the old, the young, and women in the martial world? Even though I look like this, I’m counted among one of them now, yet you dare approach me without knowing a thing about me?”
In one hand he held a bell, in the other a staff.
Though he still supported his body with the staff, everyone now understood that this was no ordinary object.
And before such Sulgye, the ghost soldier corpses were created once more.
Though reduced to about half their previous size, the important thing was that they hadn’t vanished.
Grotesque. And powerful.
“Then… shall I attack now?”
“I surrender.”
“What?”
“I will surrender.”
Cheong-yeon Soegooju spoke with an expression of fury.
Sulgye looked at Cheong-yeon with an expression of surprise. Meanwhile, Jin Cheon-hee had expected this.
‘It’s better to surrender than risk serious injury here.’
The moment our blades clashed, I could already feel the gap in our abilities.
Moreover, my opponent wielded something unfamiliar—a weapon I’d never encountered in combat before.
Though her temperament might flare with anger, she wouldn’t recklessly throw herself into a losing battle and ruin everything.
“Next time we meet, I’ll kill you for sure, old hag.”
“Tsk tsk tsk! For someone with such cold judgment, your personality is absolutely vile, isn’t it?”
Cheong-yeon had always been that type of character.
That’s why she was often depicted as quite an entertaining character in the novel.
My Master transmitted a message to me while observing Sulgye.
[Indeed… Eun’s reputation is no mere rumor. I see you’ve made further progress in the meantime.]
[Was I weaker than this before?]
[Not necessarily. However… well, you weren’t at a level to overwhelm so dominantly back then.]
I nodded in acknowledgment.
[You seem stronger than Grandfather Gwon Je?]
[Indeed. Remarkably so… What path do you think someone who stubbornly pursued ghost spirit techniques—something no one else in the martial world uses—must have walked to earn the epithet “Emperor”? It required effort and fortune beyond measure. Yet even that wasn’t enough.]
[I can’t even imagine it.]
[Gwon Je still had fellow disciples from his sect, Hope. He was never truly alone. But him? He was the sole survivor of the Ghost Spirit Sect, alone from beginning to end.]
At that moment, Sadoryeonju and Sulgye shouted.
“What are you staring at, you bastards! All you righteous and demonic sects, get out! Bidong belongs to us now. Everyone out! You trash!”
My Master let out a quiet chuckle at the sight.
[Of course, that temperament of his must have contributed to it.]
Martial Arts Alliance Leader Changwang Akjin responded with a somber expression.
“Understood. The Martial Arts Alliance will withdraw for now.”
“Our sect will also withdraw for now.”
Both sides submitted surprisingly readily.
One might think it natural since they were honoring their agreement, but such things were rare in martial history.
Given Sulgye’s nature, it would be perfect for someone to dispute the victory by claiming he used underhanded tricks.
It was a good thing, but… something felt off about it.
* * *
Jin Cheon-hee and Jegalling immediately returned to the Baek Rin Medical Guild’s encampment.
Upon arrival, my Master issued only one command.
“Yoo Ho, our Baek Rin Medical Guild forces will withdraw from Hangsan immediately. Since we must move quickly, prepare only the essentials and get ready to depart.”
“We’re already prepared. All the Medical Assistants have packed their belongings in advance.”
My eyes widened slightly at my Master’s words.
Though somewhat surprised, I did what I needed to do.
“We need to withdraw in defensive formation. Based on the current terrain, the formation should be…”
I immediately organized the terrain so the warriors could withdraw smoothly.
As we prepared the formation, I finally asked what had been puzzling me.
“We’re withdrawing?”
“We must. This will likely become a battleground for the righteous, unorthodox, demonic, and neutral factions.”
From those words, I grasped the entire situation.
Ah, so that’s how it is.
I had prided myself on understanding enough by now, but it seemed I still harbored naivety.
“You mean the Martial Arts Alliance won’t back down?”
“Correct. The Alliance Leader will certainly order a withdrawal, but ultimately, the Alliance Leader merely represents the Martial Arts Alliance—he doesn’t command the various sects through hierarchical authority. And since the victor happens to be Sulgye, they’ll view it as sorcery.”
“What about the Demonic Sect?”
“They’ll say the secret techniques cannot fall into the hands of the filthy Demonic Sect.”
The outcome remains the same. Damn it.
I pressed further.
“Then the Orthodox Sects will move, and seeing that, the Demonic Sect will move as well.”
“Precisely. Since the Orthodox Sects committed a violation, the Demonic Sect will use that as justification to act. Or perhaps they’re already preparing to move first.”
Ultimately, the problem is that the Martial Arts Alliance is a coalition. The Demonic Sect is simply a problem unto itself.
‘No, it’s simply human desire that’s the problem.’
Orthodox versus Demonic may ultimately be irrelevant.
It’s merely a matter of perspective and viewpoint.
As long as desire dwells within humans, nothing will change.
Yet, as is human nature, I still had to ask.
“Then why hold the martial tournament at all?”
“Politics. Regardless, for whatever reason, they will clash. But it won’t escalate into a grand war like the Orthodox-Demonic War.”
This was my first time facing such a significant matter.
What one knows intellectually differs inevitably from experiential understanding.
Having meticulously arranged defensive formations, yet still harboring doubts about human nature—truly, this was fitting for a disciple.
‘Sometimes I act like a veteran of the martial world, yet other times I conduct myself like a novice.’
From my master’s perspective, the latter was far more rewarding to teach.
“Those gathered here from the start are motivated by the secret techniques. Those not gathered are mere spectators. Therefore, a full-scale war won’t occur. But those assembled here will fight amongst themselves.”
“Because of the Eight Grand Secret Techniques.”
“Yes. It’s a cycle that repeats endlessly in the martial world. You came here hoping this time would be different, clutching your chest—but it won’t be. This time will unfold identically.”
As a doctor, I found myself hoping.
That this time might be different. That it might be acceptable.
Of course, I know it won’t be. Intellectually, I do. But still.
Why is this so difficult?
“Well, you’ve absorbed one of the Eight Grand Secret Techniques into your mind without compensation, so your perspective must be different.”
“Please don’t tease me, Master. And it couldn’t have been free.”
“Hehehehe, true. Cheonma wouldn’t have embedded that in your mind without reason. But you managed quite cleverly, even reaching the Imperial Palace’s secret archives. You can’t deny that part, can you?”
“Yes, yes.”
“If everyone in this world desired what you desire with the same values, there would be no conflict.”
My master smiled bitterly.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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